Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Baltic Bear Trap Wargame, Connor Crookham

Space and Defense

Modern military education increasingly relies on experiential tools that allow students to explore the complexity of contemporary conflict in ways that lectures and readings alone cannot achieve. Nowhere is this more evident than in the emerging emphasis on multi-domain operations, integrated deterrence, and the blurred boundaries between competition and armed conflict. The Baltic Bear Trap wargame was developed as a student design project to meet this instructional need, offering a structured environment in which players must think, plan, and act as operational-level decision makers confronting a deteriorating security situation in the Nordic–Baltic region. Built for use at the Swedish Defense …

A Cislunar Economic Forecast Under Public-Private Partnership, Naisha Chirag Naik

Space and Defense

Cislunar space, spanning Earth’s orbit to the Moon, has emerged as a new frontier due to its strategic, scientific, and economic potential, with growing involvement from global powers, governments, and private entities diversifying the market. Unlike the first lunar space race, which saw a spike in activity amongst two countries followed by “silence,” the current cislunar era is hallmarked by a growing mix of public agencies, private companies, and international actors seeking to gain a foothold in what could be the foundation for a long-term space economy. While cislunar space was historically only an interest for superpowers, recent years have …

Autonomous Navigation In Cislunar Satellites, Heith Johnson

Space and Defense

Cislunar space—the region between Earth’s geosynchronous orbit (about 36,000 kilometers from Earth) and the Moon (roughly 384,000 kilometers away)—is becoming a critical frontier for future space exploration and commercialization.1 This zone includes the Moon’s orbit, transfer orbits, and the Earth-Moon Lagrange points. Additionally, as more nations and corporations launch lunar missions and establish long-term infrastructure, cislunar space is increasingly becoming a strategic focus for exploration, logistics, and transportation.

Planetary Defense As The Ethico-Legal Gateway For International Space Security, Evie Kendal

Space and Defense

Following the news in late 2024 that there was a city-killer asteroid on a possible collision course with Earth, many members of the public were shocked to learn there was no reliable global plan for managing such asteroidal and cometary impact hazards. While calculations of Asteroid 2024 YR4’s trajectory were further refined to exclude the previously reported 2-3% chance of collision in 2032, this event highlighted a major security threat: the lack of a globally coordinated, appropriately resourced, and politically supported planetary defense strategy (Gibney, 2025). In so doing, it also provided an opportunity for security experts to consider the …

Space-Based Missile Defense With Early Interceptor Launch Strategies, William Priedhorsky, James Wells

Space and Defense

There is renewed interest in space-based boost-phase intercept (SBPI) for missile defense against ICBMs of near-peer adversaries. We discuss SBPI in the context of other missile defense approaches, and address one of its challenges, which is the expense of fielding a large enough constellation of interceptors in space to counter even a small number of ICBMs. We develop an early-launch approach that could substantively reduce the required density of interceptors. Because every second matters in boost-phase defense, early launch of interceptors can significantly increase the reach of each interceptor. Early launch would require interceptors that have highly throttleable motors. Our …

Golden Dome: Seeking Space Security, Namrata Goswami

Space and Defense

The “Golden Dome” initiative [formerly Iron Dome] was announced by President Donald Trump on January 27, 2025, signifying a transformative shift in global space security policy. It fundamentally questions long-standing assumptions about deterrence, national vulnerability to missile attacks, and the role of space in strategic defense. More importantly, it emerges at a moment of acute strategic transition: the erosion of Cold War arms control frameworks, the rapid advancement of hypersonic and orbital delivery systems, and the growing integration of space into warfighting doctrines. Launched via a presidential memorandum in January 2025, Golden Dome calls for a layered missile defense system …

Space & Defense Vol. 17 No. 1 Editor's Note, Damon Coletta

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space & Defense Vol. 17 No. 1 Table Of Contents, Space & Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space & Defense Vol. 17 No. 1 Front Matter, Space & Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Space & Defense Volume 17 Issue 1 Summer 2026 (Whole Issue), Space & Defense

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Using Ai To Enhance Accessibility, April Griess, Jennie Tobler-Gaston

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

This presentation explores a practical look at AI tools for improving accessibility. The first part demonstrates OCR workflows using Adobe Acrobat Pro and free OCR tools. Participants will see how each tool converts scanned PDFs into machine-readable text, how they differ in output quality and layout fidelity, and how each supports accessibility workflows.

The second part features an AI tool for transcribing handwritten text. The session will demonstrate accuracy issues, tool limitations, and ethical considerations when using AI.

The session is designed to help individuals and institutions determine which AI tools best fit their accessibility goals, staffing levels, and budget. …

Human Authorship In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence: Understanding Copyright Boundaries, Isabel Soto-Luna Ed.

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Human authorship in relation to copyright can be difficult for many to understand. And as artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more widely available and are viewed as a fast and convenient way to complete academic, professional, and creative tasks, it can make human authorship even more confusing. However, heavy or improper reliance on AI can introduce important legal and ethical risks when it comes to ownership and authorship. This poster seeks to explain what human authorship is, explore the U.S. Copyright Office's guidance on AI assisted creation, and outline recommended approaches for documenting and citing AI assistance so that creators …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Division Of Biomechanics And Research Development Annual Report 2023-2025, Uno Biomechanics

Biomechanics Annual Report

This report contains:

A letter from the Director: Dr. Nick Stergiou

Highlights articles

Center for Cardiovascular Research in Biomechanics (CRiB) articles

The Center for Research in Human Movement Variability (MOVCENTR) articles

People of UNO Biomechanics

Student Centered articles

Education Initiative articles

From Service To Purpose: Helping Students See Civic Engagement As A Path Forward, Anna Spethman

Presentations

What’s one experience that shaped your career—but didn’t come from a formal job?

Civic engagement offers students more than an opportunity to serve.  It can build skills, confidence, connections, and pathways to meaningful careers.  Yet students do not always recognize or articulate the value of these experiences. This interactive session explores practical strategies for helping student connect service to career readiness and community impact through intentional reflection, skill identification, and storytelling.  Participants will leave with approaches they can use to help students move from service, to purpose, to pathway.

In This Library, Self-Preservation Is A Full-Time Occupation: Stories And Strategies From Early Career Digital Preservation Professionals, Alisha Baginski, Sarah Glover, April Griess

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Early career digital preservationists often bring a high level of curiosity and enthusiasm to their first professional jobs. This energy aligns well with the digital preservation field, which is defined by rapid technological change and innovation. However, that early momentum can quickly wane as they face an ever-expanding set of responsibilities, including institutional backlogs, research and instruction, and evaluating new technologies. These pressures are further compounded by the need to continually articulate the value of digital preservation work to colleagues and administrators amid increasing financial uncertainty.

Have you ever asked questions like: How can I make long-term plans for my …

Bibliotech, May 2026, Jennie Tobler-Gaston

BiblioTech

Criss Libraries' Digital Newsletter, BiblioTech, May 2026 Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library, University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Physical, Environmental, And Psychological Determinants Of Sleep Among Long-Distance South Asian Caregivers Of Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Srujana Chekuri

Gerontology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Long-distance caregiving is an increasingly common yet understudied form of family care, particularly among immigrant communities whose cultural expectations of flial responsibility remain strong despite geographic separation. Among South Asian caregivers of older adults, caregiving across borders is shaped by powerful norms of duty, emotional endurance, and family obligation, creating distinctive patterns of stress that may profoundly afect health. One of the most consequential but underexamined outcomes of this caregiving context is sleep. This mixed-methods dissertation examined the physical, environmental, and psychological determinants of sleep among long-distance South Asian caregivers of older adults living in the United States. Guided by …

Self-Rated Mental Health As A Predictor Of Five-Year Incidence Of Heart Conditions, Cancer, And Dementia, In Post-Menopausal Women From Nshap Rounds 2 And 3, Annelie M. Persson

Gerontology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

Population aging is accompanied by a rising incidence of chronic disease, highlighting the need to identify early indicators of disease risk to support prevention and delay onset. Mental health has gained attention as a potential predictor of health outcomes. Self-rated mental health (SRMH) has emerged as a validated measure capturing resilience, social support, and overall outlook. Few studies in older adults have examined the relationship between SRMH and incident chronic disease. Although mental health is associated with behavioral and psychosocial factors such as physical activity and happiness, these pathways have rarely been examined as mediators. Self-rated physical health (SRPH) is …

Commitment Problems In Political Situations Involving Multiple Strategic Actors And How Actors Try To Overcome Commitment Problems, Mohamud Ajama

Political Science Theses, Dissertations and Student Creative Activity

Commitment problems explain why multiple parties cannot agree on issues of concern due to a lack of trust, even when cooperation would benefit all parties involved. These problems take place when actors cannot make credible commitments about future behavior because of mistrust, uncertainty, or the absence of neutral enforcement mechanics, leading to delays, lack of cooperation, and sometimes conflict or war. Scholars have approached commitment problems from multiple angles. Fearon (1995) identifies them as empirically observable mechanisms that prevent states from reaching peace agreements. Powell (2006) extends this framework, arguing that commitment problems are due to the inability to bind …

Becoming Mandan: The Collaborative Life History Of Robert O’Brien, Douglas D. Meigs

Sociology and Anthropology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

This thesis examines how separation from—and later discovery of—an Indigenous family and culture shapes ethnic identity formation. Grounded in Charles Horton Cooley’s theory of the looking-glass self, it uses collaborative life history methodology to analyze the process of Indigenous identity formation experienced by Robert O’Brien, a Native American orphan who discovered his Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara (MHA) heritage as an adult. Drawing on two decades of reflexive research, unstructured interviews, participant observation, and archival documents, the case study shows how O’Brien’s sense of identity developed in response to shifting and often contradictory social mirrors.

Teaching Machines To Deter: Exploring Strategic Deterrence In Ai Models, Will Taylor

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project investigates whether deterrence can emerge as a meaningful strategy within a zero-sum stochastic game using multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). After outlining core concepts in game theory and deterrence, the study models a simplified deterrence environment in which two minimax-Q agents repeatedly interact under uncertainty and adversarial incentives. The agents learn from rewards shaped by escalation costs, unilateral vulnerability, and the stabilizing benefits of restraint. Results show that both agents consistently converge toward a conservative, status-quo strategy, overwhelmingly selecting the Maintain action while avoiding both escalation and restraint in most scenarios. This behavior reflects the risk-averse logic of …

From Classroom To Courtroom: Understanding Real Pathways Into Legal Careers, Timothy S. Troxel

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study examines how legal professionals describe their preparation for legal and law-adjacent careers, with the goal of identifying practical guidance for college students entering the field. Existing literature on legal career preparation often emphasizes measurable qualifications, while offering broad or generalized advice. At the same time, research on career development highlights the importance of experiential learning and mentorship, suggesting a gap between formal guidance and lived experience. To explore this gap, this study conducted interviews with ten legal professionals across a range of roles and experience levels. Participants were asked about their backgrounds, career paths, skill development, and other …

The Role Of Perceived Perpetrator Centrality In Intentions To Express Or Confront Sexist Behaviors, Anna G. Miller

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

Confronting sexist acts (e.g., by saying, “That was sexist!”) has been empirically shown to reduce others’ sexist behaviors. However, bystanders are often reluctant to confront sexist acts, particularly when perpetrators of sexism are perceived as high in status. Prior studies have operationalized status in terms of organizational rank. However, individuals may also have status by virtue of their connections to other group members, which I investigate in the present study. Participants with full-time work experience (N = 451) were asked to read a vignette describing a sexist incident in which a male perpetrator of sexism had many (vs. few) …

Teacher–Student Relationship Quality As A Predictor Of Effective Classroom Leadership, Ty P. Rockwell

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

A teacher is the leader of their classroom. Strong teachers manage classroom climate, deliver engaging instruction, support students’ academic outcomes, and form lasting relationships with students. This study examined whether teacher–student relationship quality predicts student engagement, academic success, and subject interest, and whether classroom psychological safety and perceived teacher support help explain those links. Drawing on leader-member exchange (LMX) theory and educational psychology, the study treated teachers as classroom leaders and asked University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) undergraduates to recall either a positive or a negative experience with a high school core-course teacher. A total of 128 participants completed …

The Self-Perception & Identity Of Latino Men: Looking At The 2024 Presidential Election & Its Impact On Latino Communities, Lucia M. Revollo

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election and under the second Trump administration, Latino and immigrant community has experienced significant sociopolitical impacts. During the presidential campaigning of the elections, media narratives focused on the male Latino voters as a contributing factor to this presidential election. However, this was not as big of a contributor as the media and research centers are portraying. This study addresses critical gaps in existing research by examining the self-perception and identity of Latino men and how these factors shaped their voting decisions in the 2024 presidential election. Especially looking at the current trends in …